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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29461875">Classmate</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krystalmatsumiya/pseuds/Krystalmatsumiya'>Krystalmatsumiya</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Friends Universe [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Rewrite, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Good Malfoy Family (Harry Potter), M/M, Molly Weasley Bashing, Multi, Ravenclaw Draco Malfoy, Ravenclaw Harry Potter, Slytherin Ron Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:14:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>20,183</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29461875</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krystalmatsumiya/pseuds/Krystalmatsumiya</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry, Draco and Pansy are finally off to Hogwarts with their friends Fred and George, and Seamus. Since the gift appearing on his doorstep a year before Harry's life has changed so much. How will this change his first year of school</p><p>Continues after Penpal</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Remus Lupin/Severus Snape</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Friends Universe [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2163984</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>140</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>269</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Harry! Draco! Wake up!” Pansy screeched loudly as she ran into their room and threw herself on the bed crushing Harry’s legs under her weight. Harry grunted wiggling out from under the girl while shooting her a playful, sleepy glare. He pushed his hair out of his eyes and looked at Draco who was curled onto his side his face buried under the pillow.</p><p>“Good morning, Pants” He said his voice thick with the fringes of sleep. He had never meant to start using the same nickname as Draco but over the last few months it had fallen easily from his lips and Pansy didn’t seem to care. She grinned wide and pushed herself in between Draco and Harry as was the norm these days and curled her arm around his waist ignoring Draco who was grumbling as he was sleeping.</p><p>“We are going to Diagon today to get our wands!” She announced as though the two boys hadn’t been speaking about it late into the night. All three of them were good at wandless magic now, thanks to Nino, but there was something special about getting a wand even if they couldn’t use it outside school. In just three days they would be starting Hogwarts and Harry was both excited and worried about the whole thing.</p><p>“Yup!” Pansy let out a happy sigh her head resting on his shoulder. “I can’t wait to go to Hogwarts, but you have to promise me, even if we are in different houses, we will be friends, Harry.”</p><p>“I promise, Pants, you are my best female friend.” Harry smiled letting his head rest on the bobbed head while Draco rolled over and stuck his bum up in the air. Pansy watched him with a giggle before slapping his left butt check hard causing the Malfoy heir to let out a yelp and sit up right with his blonde hair over his face.</p><p>“Whatsits?” He growled pushing his hair from his eyes and glaring at the girl as he settled down. “Pants, you have your own bed. Why are you always in ours in the morning?”</p><p>“You have your own bed as well, Dray, yet you sleep with Harry every night. What are you going to do when we are in Hogwarts? If you are in different houses?”</p><p>“Impossible, I will be in whatever house Harry is in.” Draco grumbled hotly his arms folding across his chest stubbornly refusing that they would be separated for even a moment. Harry grinned happily at his friend even if he wasn’t as certain. Remus and Severus had refused to tell him how they were sorted, but he had a feeling they wouldn’t have a choice no matter what Draco said. “At least we won’t have you coming in every morning, what time is it?”</p><p>“Six”</p><p>“Six? Are you insane?!” Never a morning person Draco snarled and smacked a pillow directly into Pansy’s face while the black-haired girl let out a shrill laugh while she grabbed Harry’s pillow to smack Draco back with it. Knowing that it was going to end in a full pillow fight Harry dragged himself out of the bed and left his friends to it. He made his way to his bathroom, stroking the top of Hedwig’s head as he passed, and flicked on the light.</p><p>Listening to his two friends having a full, and rather loud, pillow war Harry brushed his teeth and then climbed into the shower. He scrubbed his body and hair and thought about the day ahead wondering how his life would change in a few short days when they were at Hogwarts. He had friends in Gryffindor, he knew the twins would look out for him, but he really couldn’t imagine being separated from Draco. Even the thought of it made him sick to his stomach. Finishing in the bathroom he pulled on the clothes that had appeared by the door. He had picked them out the night before and left them on the chair by his bed. He had forgotten them in his rush to leave Draco and Pansy and he gave a grateful smile.</p><p>“Thanks, Ernest” He said to the empty bathroom knowing that the brownie could hear him even if he couldn’t be seen. It had come as a surprise to everyone when the little Brownie had announced, in his gruff, simple, way that he had decided to stick around even after his term was up. He hadn’t said as much but Harry liked to believe that the little man liked being around him. Harry certainly liked having the Brownie find everything he lost. He didn’t know if he would be coming to Hogwarts or staying at the manor, but he was sure he would find out in a few days. As he rubbed his hair dry with a towel, he sang a few lines of the song Chuck had him learning. His singing voice wasn’t particularly great, but he was enjoying himself and he moved his body a little in time with the song.</p><p>Once dry and dressed for the day he went out into his bedroom dodging a pillow that was thrown in his direction. Feathers were floating around the room, dancing in the upward drafts, and Harry looked at Draco and Pansy who were bouncing on the bed, more feathers in their hair and their night clothes a mess. It was difficult to believe that these were the heirs of two great houses and that one day they would be known as lord Malfoy and Lady Parkinson. Harry lifted a Snape like eyebrow as he looked at them and Draco threw another pillow.</p><p>“Harry, you look like your dad when you do that!” He sighed and Harry gave a delicate roll of the shoulders knowing that over the last couple of months he had grown to be more like Snape in personality. He hadn’t realised that he was doing it at first, not until Narcissa had pointed it out on his birthday and Severus had almost beamed with pride. He still didn’t mean to do it, or at least he didn’t do it on purpose, but he found that it gave him more of a confident feel.</p><p>“Says the one who is the splitting image of Uncle Luci.” Harry replied with a friendly grin picking up both the pillows that had been thrown and he had dodged. “Pants, shouldn’t you be getting dressed? You woke us up all excited and yet it takes you ages to figure out what you want to wear.”</p><p>“I don’t take as long as Draco, he takes hours.” Pansy said even as she was getting down from the bed and making her way back through the door to her room, which was Draco’s, not that he used it anymore.</p><p>“If you took a little longer you wouldn’t look like a pug in a wig.” Draco huffed under his breath while making sure she heard him, and Pansy shot back quickly.</p><p>“And no matter how long you take you will always look like a ferret…Or perhaps a weasel with a blond fringe.”</p><p>“At least ferrets are cute. Pugs are a crime against nature.” Draco gave a fake shudder and Harry let out a laugh shoving his friend just a little. It had taken him a while to grow accustomed to the teasing playfulness the friends shared and to realise that there was no heat in either of their words. It was playful teasing brought about by years of knowing each other and growing up almost as brother and sister. If anyone else insulted Pansy like that Draco would do anything in his power to defend her and Pansy would do the same. It was nice really though Harry didn’t think he could ever insult either of them even in jest.</p><p>“Go have a shower, Dray, you are getting your wand today.”</p><p>“So, are you, can you believe that in just a few days we will be students at Hogwarts? It feels like an age of waiting!”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Although they had waited till the last possible moment Diagon Alley was bustling with people and Harry grabbed Draco’s hand tightly to avoid being lost in the crush. The crowds parted easily as both Lucius and Severus were stalking in front of them all with their most terrifying expressions on their faces. While Remus and Narcissa brought up the rear keeping all three children in the middle of them.</p><p>“I believe that we should get robes first. Then books. They seem like the least busy.” Narcissa said looking over at a gaggle of children with their noses pressed to the window of quality Quidditch supplies. It was only then that Harry remembered that the new model Nimbus was coming out and that the shop already had a display model. Draco looked longingly over to the shop but both Lucius and Narcissa had refused to allow him to have one stating that there was no need as first years weren’t allowed to play on the house teams. His friend had been whining about the unfairness of it for a few days now and Harry had learnt to drown him out.</p><p>“I need some more potions ingredients” Harry murmured lightly, the chest Severus and Remus had gotten him for Christmas had been well stocked, but he had had been using it regularly since. If it were possible for somebody to burst with pride Severus would have done so.</p><p>“Of course, you will all need the basics. I expect you all to do well. You will not be given special treatment.”</p><p>“Of course, Dad, we know. I promise we will make you proud.” Harry promised, meaning every word. Pansy pulled a face, potions was not her strong suit, in fact, Severus had refused to allow her entry to the lab at Malfoy manor twice and she didn’t think that she would be any better at school.</p><p>“You and Dray will, I however will languish at the bottom.” She whispered under her breath and Harry smiled at his female best friend.</p><p>“You will make up for it in history of magic, Pans, and Transfiguration. You already made that stick look sort of metallic and that was just wandless.” He told her and Pansy gave a huge grin her sour look vanishing.</p><p>“You’re right, thanks Harry” She tucked her arms around his leaning her head on his shoulder as they finally reached Madam Malkins robes for all occasions. The shop was blissfully empty as they headed inside and at once Madam Malkin herself appeared from the back room, summoned by the twinkling bell above her door.</p><p>“Welcome, Lady Malfoy, Lord Malfoy, Professor Snape, Mister Lupin” She said politely bowing her head. Madam Malkin was always happy to see them and Harry had grown to rather like her. She never seemed to judge them like some of the other store owners. “Robes for Hogwarts? I was surprised that you hadn’t already been in, no matter we will have you all fixed up. If you want to step this way dears and we will get you measured.” The floating tape measure was out before she had even finished speaking and Harry batted it away with a laugh as he stepped up onto one of the stools while Draco and Pansy climbed onto the other two. “Excited to be finally going to Hogwarts, dears?”</p><p>“Also a little nervous.” Harry confessed as the witch began to measure from under his armpit down to his knees.</p><p>“To be expected, but you will enjoy it when you get there.” She promised a little quill and notebook floating behind her as she went from child to child making sure to get all the measurements she needed. “You are getting taller, Harry, at least a couple of inches on you since the last time you came.” Harry smiled happily but stayed silent. He had noticed a growth spurt; the healer had told him that he would never be tall but at least he wasn’t a foot shorter than Draco anymore. They went through the motions of being measured and Harry was glad that the robes would be plain black and they wouldn’t have to sort out colours or cut. In fact, even with all three of them, it was the shortest trip he’d had to the tailor since living with the Malfoy’s.</p><p>“Books next?” Pansy asked linking her arms with both Harry and Draco guiding them towards Flourish and Blotts. They entered without fuss glad to find that it was almost completely empty so they could grab the books they needed quickly. It didn’t mean that they could get out of the shop quickly though as Harry spent a long while looking at the charms and potions books, so much so that even Severus and Remus were urging him to finish.</p><p>“Hadrian, we need to fetch your wand, and then Pansy has to choose an owl.” Remus reminded him and Harry nodded putting the ‘Advanced charms’ book back onto the shelf.</p><p>“Sorry.”</p><p>“Never apologise for wanting to expand your mind, but I fear if we left you any longer Draco might combust.” Remus chuckled and Harry let out a laugh walking with his Pops to the counter where the clerk was ringing up their books and planning for them to be owled back to Malfoy manor.</p><p>“He is rather looking forward to his wand. He says it makes him a proper wizard.” Harry chuckled thinking of his and Draco’s late-night conversation about the different types of wands and if he would have a similar one to either his father or mother. Severus heard the tail end of his statement and lifted an eyebrow asking,</p><p>“And you’re not equally as excited?”</p><p>“I am, but what if a wand doesn’t choose me?” He whispered hesitantly some of his old insecurities coming back, his image of being confident and in control crumbling as he thought about what would happen if his magic didn’t fall in sync with one the wands. He, Draco and Pansy had learnt about wands choosing the witch or wizard and if they didn’t have the correct one then it could damage their ability to use magic. He had had nightmares of standing in the shop with Ollivander, a man he had seen in passing, shaking his head and saying sorry there had been some mistake. It had taken him a long time to grasp wandless magic after all.</p><p>“Harry, you have absolutely nothing to fear…”</p><p>“I thought the same.” Remus admitted softly cutting over Severus as he leaned in closer so nobody else could hear. “I thought the wolf would make it, so I didn’t have enough wizard in me to have a wand. I stood in Ollivanders quite positive that none of the wands would want me but then I was handed this wand. 101/4, cypress and unicorn hair…” Remus pulled out his wand and handed it over to Harry. He felt a tingling running up his spine for just a moment but there was no rush like was described in the books. “It was a feeling like no other, Harry, I felt complete and if a wand containing a unicorn hair could choose a dark creature like me then there is a wand out there that will choose the kindest, most loving boy I have ever known.”</p><p>“Thanks, Pops” Harry whispered looking at the wand wondering what his own would look like. Taking a deep breath, he handed it back over to his second father, In just a few short moments he would know.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry, is this boring &gt;.&lt; I’ve been so busy the last couple of days but I promise, Ollivanders next and then the train ride to HOGWARTS. It’s time these kids were in school!”</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ollivanders was small and unassuming, of it weren’t for the rows and rows of boxes piled high to the ceiling and a single wicker chair in the centre of them, that none of them wanted to even try and sit on, Harry would have thought the shop was empty. He could feel the magic however, it buzzed like bees in the air and prickled at the hairs on the back of his neck. The famous Ollivander hadn’t appeared yet and Harry could tell from a glance at Draco and Pansy they were as nervous as he was, only they weren’t showing it as much. Draco’s fingers interlaced with his and Harry gave him a weak smile as finally a man with wild hair and almost tattered looking robes came out from a back room. He smiled merrily at them all bowing an elaborate bow at Narcissa while being stiffly polite with Lucius.</p><p>“Welcome, welcome!” The man said coming to stand directly in front of Harry so he could peer into his eyes. “Welcome Mr Potter, I wondered when I would be seeing you…It seems like only yesterday your mother and father were in here buying their first wands. And you Remus, a tricky little customer you were, but we got there in the end…How is it? Still working out for you?”</p><p>“Yes, sir, still have it to this day.” Remus answered tapping his wand that was carefully stored in his wand pocket on his robe.</p><p>“Very good, yes, very good. And Severus, stained oak from the Major in Sherwood Forest and a dual core…Unicorn hair and dragon heartstring.” The old man hummed leaving the three children stumped that he could remember so much detail about the wands he had sold. “Now, now don’t me shy, Miss Parkinson, what is your wand arm?”</p><p>“My right!” Pansy said in a breathless way and Harry watched as the man pulled her a little further into the room and then started to look her over. A thin tape measure appeared, and Harry watched as it took the length of her arm, her fingers and even the space between her nostrils. Ollivander had already bustled off with surprising speed for a man that looked to be over 100. He was soon moving around the shop pulling out a dozen or boxes and floating them over to the counter. With a strange fascination Harry watched as the tape measure started to try and measure Pansy’s eyelashes until the man waved his hand and it fell to the floor like a limp snake.</p><p>“Right, my dear, why don’t you try this one out for size?” The man said holding open one of the boxes in front of Pansy. After swallowing thickly Pansy reached in and grabbed the wand with excited fingers. Harry wasn’t sure what was meant to happen but after a half a breath Ollivander was pulling the wand back and handing her another. This time Harry felt a buzz but nothing overly powerful and the wand maker clicked his tongue taking another box from the pile on his counter. “This one…Yew, Veela hair core, very temperamental, don’t really care for using it myself, a little long but that is good for intricate charm work…” This time Harry knew what they were waiting for had happened, the air positively seemed to light up and sparkle as though sunlight had started streaming in through crystal glass. Flicking her wrist carefully Pansy sent a shower of sparks around the shop and she gasped in obvious delight. “Yes, yes, I believe we have a match! Oh, how delightful! It is always such a joy to see a match!” Ollivander clapped his partially gloved hands together and then grinned at Draco. “Your turn Master Malfoy, wand arm out”</p><p>“R-Right!” Draco responded fighting down a splutter as the tape curled its way back up into the air and was immediately set on measuring every part of Draco it could possibly reach. Harry wanted to laugh as it slid its way down his nose but remembered that it would be his turn next. The uncomfortable feeling was instantly back and even the sight of Draco having his earlobes measured wasn’t enough to take it away.</p><p>“Here we are my boy, hawthorn and unicorn hair, from the same unicorn that gave your mother’s core…” Ollivander explained and this time Harry felt the same buzz as he had just felt with Pansy as Draco flicked his wand and had dozens of butterflies made of light dance around the room. “I knew it! I knew it as soon as you walked in! It was calling to you!”</p><p>“It feels amazing.” Draco said pleased as punch that he had gotten his wand so quickly. He did a few more flicks and lights danced merrily while Harry felt both Remus and Severus’s hands coming to rest on either of his shoulders.</p><p>“Ah Mr Potter, come on, come on! No need to be shy, which is your wand arm? Hold it up! Come on now my boy” Harry did as he was told watching the man hurry around the room bringing more wands over as the tape measure got to work. Harry wasn’t completely convinced that it was needed as Ollivander never seemed to refer to the measurements, but he thought it best not to say anything not when the tape was inching closer to his mouth. He really didn’t want to know how long his own tongue was. “Okay, yes, yes, we have some good candidates here Mr Potter…”</p><p>“Potter-Lupin-Snape” Harry corrected swiftly as the tape measure fell limply to the ground. The watery blue eyes of Ollivander glinted like jewels in his wrinkled face. Harry rarely, if ever used all of his full title, having so many last names to remember gave him a headache and he really didn’t want to go around referring himself as Lord Hadrian ‘Harry’ James Potter-Black-Prince-Lupin-Snape of House Peverell, but he was proud of his fathers and he wanted to honour them, but he also wanted to honour his parents who had given their lives for him. It would be easier when Remus and Severus married as he would just be Potter-Snape or Potter-Lupin depending on which name they used.</p><p>“Forgive me, Mr Potter-Lupin-Snape” The old man said with a polite bow holding out a wand. Immediately Harry could tell that it was wrong for him. It was a strange feeling, rather like the numb feeling before you got pins and needles and he handed it straight back. Ollivander handed him another and then another with different results but the same outcome. Eventually the old man went into the back and pulled out a rather dusty looking box. “Perhaps you would like to try this one? Holly and Phoenix feather”</p><p>Harry took the wand and just for a moment it felt right but then a spark flew out the end and smashed a vase. There was a sharp blinding pain in his forehead and his scar grew hot. Gritting his teeth, he fought through the pain and then the wand in his hand cracked showing what appeared to be a feather. The pain left him immediately and he sighed flushing with embarrassment when he saw the now cracked wand.</p><p>“Sorry”</p><p>“No, no, not at all. How very curious…Very curious indeed”</p><p>“Excuse me sir, but what’s curious?” Harry asked as Remus and Severus checked him over. Ollivander took the broken wand and put it down on the counter amongst the open boxes and papers.</p><p>“I thought, I remember every wand I have ever sold Mr Potter-Lupin-Snape, and the feather in this very wand came from a phoenix who gave another, this wand is the brother to the wand that gave you that scar…” The man said and Harry swallowed glad that the wand had had such a reaction to him. He really didn’t want to wave around a wand with that kind of connection. “Dear me, dear me, you are a tricky customer, never fear we shall find the right wand for you, I know that it is here…Ah! One moment!” With a flash the man was gone again leaving the Malfoys and Snapes confused all looking at the wand with dubious expressions. The very real fear of not being able to have a wand was coming back and Harry swallowed waiting for the man to return and say that it was no good. A moment later however he was back with a triumphant expression on his face. “This Mr Potter-Lupin-Snape, is truly one of its kind! The wood you see is a not just one solid piece, it is a mixture, Holly, Yew, Oak, and Elder wood from the heart of the black forest. It is a little experiment of mine, in fact, I had just finished it yesterday…Give it a twirl…” Harry nervously reached out to the wand staring mesmerised at all the colours of the woods that swirling up its length. “The core, Mr Potter-Lupin-Snape, is from a rare white phoenix.” The wand tingled in Harry’s hand and then vibrated his hair stood up and with a wave happy sparks of blue and red fireworks shot around the room. “Yes! Yes! I think we’ve got it! Absolutely fantastic!”</p><p>The fear of having a wand with the same core as Voldemorts was now gone as Harry basked in the feeling of being complete with his wand. It felt, perfect, all the different parts making up this one wonderful whole. He beamed at his fathers and then the Malfoy’s and Pansy before grinning wide at Draco who flashed him back his own smile saying,</p><p>“Hogwarts here we come!”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sooooo….Are you surprised by the wands? I really, really wanted it to be a surprise, I promise that there is a reason that Harry didn’t get his regular wand! But I hope that you like this one…The Major Oak is a real tree in Nottingham, its over 1000 years old and it is said that Robin Hood hid in its trunk to escape from the Sheriff of Nottingham. I have played in it so I can vouch that the middle would be big enough to hide somebody. 😊 Anyhoo…All aboard the Hogwarts express in the next part…</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I don’t understand why we don’t just floo to the castle” Harry hummed very lightly as he stared at the huffing and puffing steam train that was in front of them. It was huge with a crimson engine and shiny black chimney. The name Hogwarts Express was picked out in gold lettering on the side and the driver and fire stocker seemed to be friendly people politely answering a million and one questions from the children that were clambering all over the station. It had been a while since he had seen so many children and their parents and he was feeling weak. He was standing as close to Draco as he could physically get without actually being in the other boy’s clothes. Draco’s fingers were around his but his blonde friend was too busy brimming with ill-concealed excitement to really pay attention. The blonde hadn’t slept last night through excitement while Harry had lain awake in fear.</p><p>“It’s part of the experience, Harry, trust me, you’ll enjoy it. You meet up with all your friends that you haven’t likely seen over summer break. I promise that you’ll enjoy it. You’re meeting Seamus and the twins, right?” Remus said kindly squeezing his shoulder and Harry nodded swallowing down a thick lump from the back of his throat as he watched a girl with long bushy hair being helped onto the first carriage by people that were clearly her parents. “Come on, let’s get your things into a carriage.” They were just about to pick up Harry’s trunk and Hedwig’s cage when a blur of red came into their line of sight. Two faces he recognised and two that he didn’t.</p><p>“Hadrian! Draco! Pansy!” The twins said happily “How are you?”</p><p>“We’re good. How was your summer?”</p><p>“Absolutely terrible Mum had us clearing out the gnomes in the garden, nasty little buggers, one bit old Ronnikin’s rather large nose.” Fred howled with laughter patting the back of the smaller red head with so much force it nearly knocked him over. At the mention of nose Harry found himself looking at it surprised to see a rather large dirty stain on one side. Before he could tell the other boy a short dumpy woman dressed in a patchy purple and lime green cardigan came bustling over dragging a girl behind her.</p><p>“Fred! George! Get yourselves over here this minute!” She howled her voice ringing around the station harshly drawing the attention of the crowd. The twins shot them slightly embarrassed looked and slunk over to their mother, the young girl peeking out and staring directly at Harry.</p><p>“Come on, Harry, let’s get your trunk onto the train.” Remus said taking one side and Harry took the other trying to ignore the Weasley Matriarch shouting about manners and Malfoys. He glanced at his Pseudo-Aunt and Uncle who were helping Draco with his things very pointedly ignoring the whispers that Harry had just noticed. Parents all over the station were clearly warning their children about the evil Malfoy’s. The thought made him both angry and want to laugh. The Malfoys were traditional, yes, but they were the most loving family he had ever met.</p><p>“Oi! Wait up!” Seamus shouted appearing at the door with a man Harry had only met once before following pushing a trolley with his things on it. “Hey, Draco, Harry, Pans”</p><p>“Hello, Irish” Pansy smiled prettily from where she was getting out of helping with her own trunk by playing around with her new owl. Pegasus was a pure black bird with eyes so orange that they looked red. Nobody could really tell what kind of Owl it was, but the seller had insisted that it was fully trained postal owl. The demon bird had already gotten on almost everyone’s bad side by bringing a live, very ruffled emerald green grass snake to the breakfast table the day before. The snake was currently curled up in Harry’s trunk wrapped in several layers to keep it warm. It was, for the most part, unharmed but it had insisted on going to Hogwarts with them.</p><p>“Wow, you got a right ugly bird there, Pans, what the ‘ell is it? A bat?”</p><p>“It’s a horned owl!” Pansy insisted “And he is the prettiest bird I’ve ever seen. He is so unique.”</p><p>“If yer say so.” The look on Seamus’ face told Harry, and those that could see it that he didn’t care for the bird and he was soon helping his dad put his own chest into the same carriage as theirs. “Bloomin ‘eck, its been a long mornin’, right Da? Didn’t think we’d be getting ‘ere, Mam were called in ter work last minute like and Da can’t use the floo, can ya Da? We had to send a note to the ministry and they sent over a wizard to apparate us over.”</p><p>“Sorry, can’t help being a Muggle.” Seamus’ dad Ronan smiled sheepishly at the Malfoys rubbing his hands up and down the front of his jeans. “Got yer here in the end, right?”</p><p>“Yea, yer did, ta, Da” Seamus grinned at his father and if Harry hadn’t already known that Seamus adored his father that look would have confirmed it. “Can yer feckin believe it! Hogwarts at last!”</p><p>Harry drowned out the following conversation between Draco and Seamus, knowing that it was everything that he had already heard. Both his friends were excited about the upcoming year but Harry was terrified. He had only bad memories of school and school kids and the last year learning at home had been amazing. He had wanted to beg Remus and Severus to let him stay home and continue home education, but Draco was excited about real school and he couldn’t bear to be separated from Draco.</p><p>“You will be fine, Harry, your dad will be there, if you need him for any reason at all you go to him, okay?” Remus told him gently, the werewolf seemingly reading his mind, though Harry knew that he couldn’t. Severus had trained him well to block his mind from all kinds of attacks.</p><p>“I know, Pops” He sighed trying to smile but failing. His mind healer had been able to explain why he was so scared of something that should have brought excitement. It was hard to step out of the comfortable, warm bubble that had been created in manor. That he was afraid that if he left then he wouldn’t be able to go back and that he would end up going back to the Dursley’s.</p><p>“All children are nervous when they first go Harry, even the ones that are excited, but you will be fine, you will be back with us at Yule.”</p><p>“Promise? Promise that I will come home for Yule?”</p><p>“I promise, Harry, I will come and fetch you myself” Remus promised him gently both his hands on his shoulders as he peered into his green eyes with his warm amber ones. “And I am sure, if you need a little break your dad will let you use the floo on a weekend to come home. Even if it’s just for an hour or two.” Harry let the warm words wash over him and he smiled and nodded jolting when a loud whistle sounded. “That’s the bell, you will be fine, Harry! I will write to you, have fun and study well!” Remus pressed a kiss to his forehead and then he was given another kiss by Narcissa who hugged him tight.</p><p>“We will see you at Yule, Harry, enjoy yourself and take care of each other” She said as Harry breathed in her perfume. She gave him another kiss and then handed him off to Lucius who smiled and gave him a one armed hug.</p><p>“Take care of yourself, we will write every day if you want.”</p><p>“Thank you, Uncle Luci.” Harry smiled and Lucius nodded squeezing his shoulder again.</p><p>“Go and have fun, Harry!”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>In canon Dad’s get a bad name, there are very few good dads but since I have just lost my dad who was amazing, this version has good dads XD also…Unpopular opinion, I can’t stand Molly Weasley, for all that she is supposed to be a perfect mum she is horrible. She pits her kids against each other constantly and belittles them, she only seems to really like the twins and what they want to do in life when they start making money &gt;.&lt; Ahem, sorry… Please leave a comment or kudos if you liked it it gives me motivation to keep going! More of the train journey in the next part…</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p>The Hogwarts Express was beautiful, with deep crimson plush coverings on the chairs and luxurious wood panelling on the walls. Although the train chattered and clicked on the rails it was a smooth ride and after about ten minutes of gazing at the scenery flashing passed the window those in their carriage began telling Seamus about their trip to Japan while he told them about his trip to Rome.</p><p>“It was bleeding awesome!” The Irish boy said excitedly as the door to their carriage opened and the twins bounded in, followed by their youngest brother Ron. The youngest red head was looking peaky as his icy blue eyes looked them over. “What’s his problem?”</p><p>“Oh, just ignore him, mum was giving us a lecture about the Evil Malfoy’s being death eaters” George said dropping into the seat beside Draco and Harry. “Are you a little death eater, Draco?”</p><p>“Not the last time I checked, no, how have you been Fred? George?”</p><p>“Same old, same old, oh! Thanks for the gifts! They were absolutely incredible; the sweets were delicious.” Fred shrugged sitting next to Pansy and crossing his arms over his chest and his long legs out in front of him. They had collectively sent their three friends’ gifts from Japan, little things that they thought would amuse them, along with sweets and even a few charms and things that they had gotten from the Hidden City on Okinawa island. It was the oldest wizarding city in Japan and Harry had fallen in love with it even if it had been a little hot for his liking and he had accidentally stood on a sea cucumber while paddling. It had squished between his toes causing him to almost throw up. Draco had thought it hilarious and had even brought him a soft toy of a sea cucumber when he had seen one in a shop. It was stuffed into his trunk now.</p><p>“We’re happy you enjoyed them. Thank you for my birthday present.” Harry beamed at the twins. It had been a selection of sweets from Honeydukes, all his favourites, plus a fake wand the twins had been working on for a while. Twin faces went red as Draco and Seamus thanked them for their gifts as well.</p><p>“Sorry it wasn’t much.”</p><p>“It was amazing!” Harry enthused happily meaning it. It had still stunned him to open his eyes on his 11th birthday and find a selection of gifts from his fathers’, his aunt and uncle, Draco, Seamus, the elves, and the twins. It had made him remember his tenth birthday and how much his life had changed thanks to Draco. “It was all my favourites, how did you know?”</p><p>“We never reveal our sources, Harry…”</p><p>“You asked Pops, didn’t you?”</p><p>“Yeah, your pops sure knows more about chocolate than I ever thought was possible.”</p><p>“Yeah, he is fond of chocolate, whenever he and Dad fight, Dad always buys him some chocolate…Are you okay?” Harry asked as Ron almost choked on his own spittle. All the eyes in the carriage turned to look at the youngest ginger who was ten shades of red.</p><p>“Sorry, just…You have two dads?” He asked in a low whisper stroking a half dead looking rat that was sitting on his knee. It was arguably worse than Pegasus in looks, at least Pansy’s demon bird was meant to look as frightening as it did, the rat looked like a cough would kill it.</p><p>“Yes.” Harry straightened his back fixing him with an impressive Severus stare one eyebrow lifted primly up his forehead. “Is that an issue?”</p><p>“No, just…Wasn’t expecting it, is all” Ron grumbled awkwardly rubbing at his face and causing the dark smudge to creep further over his nose and left eye. Harry shrugged and then settled back against Draco’s shoulder listening to the clicking of the train as it rocked him back and forth. Draco patted fingers over his knee as he talked Quidditch with Fred and George completely ignoring Ron. Pansy and Seamus were talking about houses arguing about what kind of test they would have to do for the sorting. Harry watched the twins as closely as he could wishing they would just tell them but like all the adults in their lives, the twins just gave half smiles and ignored the conversation. “So, how do you know Malfoy?”</p><p>“Draco? Oh, we met last year, in Hogsmeade, Hadrian and Draco were there with Hadrian’s fathers…Was not good timing, we were meant to be in class.” The twins said taking it in turn to speak as they let out loud laughs. “Bit awkward, but it turned out good…”</p><p>“But…He is a Malfoy…They were on You know who’s side…They are all slimy snakes.”</p><p>“Oi, Pal, that’s my mate yer talking about there, you got a problem with Draco, yer got a problem with me” Seamus growled, looking surprisingly intimidating for a short eleven-year-old, but Harry and Draco knew that the Irish boy had been involved in boxing for years with his dad. Ron seemed to realise that not even his brothers were going to stick up for him and he fell silent in the corner of the carriage playing with his rat. After a few minutes of tense silence, the twins suggested exploding snap and they played until the carriage door was thrown open and a girl with brown bushy hair and prominent front teeth came stalking in.</p><p>“Have any of you seen a toad? A boy called Neville has lost one?” She announced ignoring the startled expressions on their faces. They all shook their heads, even Ron, and she turned to leave.</p><p>“I’ll help you look.” Ron offered and the girl looked him up and down slowly with a scrunched-up nose before agreeing.</p><p>“Fine, I’ve already searched all the carriages before this one, I’m Hermione Granger, you have a mark on your nose…” She said as the pair left shutting the carriage door behind them.</p><p>“Sorry, about Ron, he really isn’t so much of a twit normally…” Fred sighed while George nodded shuffling the cards and continuing “Mum really chewed us out for talking to you are the station, said that no Malfoy can be trusted. He was nervous enough to believe her.”</p><p>“It’s not your fault, the Malfoy’s and Weasley’s have never been on the best of terms after all. Harry, it’s time for your vitamins.” Draco reminded him and Harry sighed pulling the small vial of greenish blue liquid from the depths of his robe. Although he was of his potions for the most part, they hadn’t been able to fix everything and he suffered with pernicious anaemia and would need to have B12 for the rest of his life. He drank it slowly glad that his dad had fixed the taste and it didn’t just taste like he was drinking blood or rusty nails. He had just finished when the door to the carriage opened again this time to reveal the trolley witch. They bought a little of everything and shared it between each other enjoying the rest of the trip. George and Fred waved them goodbye at some point, saying they were gonna sit with their year mates, while the new first years waited with a mix of excitement and fear for what was going to come. They almost jumped out of their seats when a voice announced that it was time for them to change into their school robes and that Hogsmeade station wasn’t too far away. Ron had never come back to the carriage so his trunk was left undisturbed and Harry wondered if he would have time to change but then forgot about him as Draco clutched his hand.</p><p>“Ready to be students at Hogwarts, Harry?” He asked as the train came to a stop. Movement was heard as all the students clambered to get off the train and Harry and friends joined them seeing Hagrid standing on the platform with a lantern in hand calling out for first years. He tried to catch Harry's eye a few times but Harry pointedly ignored him. Remus and Severus had told him that first years travelled by boat over the black lake and Harry hoped the ride would be smooth not wanting to lose the Pumpkin pasties overboard.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Phew! Sorting next!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hogwarts was as magnificent as it had been when they had visited with Harry’s father’s and the view from the lake made the rather pointless boat trip worth it. Hagrid kept trying to get Harry’s attention, but his brown-haired friend ignored him talking instead to Pansy and Seamus. The oaf looked upset though Draco cared little. He had no time for people that hurt his Harry and the giant of a man had been the one to deliver his friend to the Dursleys and that was unforgivable in his opinion.</p><p>“Dray, we will be in the same house? Right?” Harry whispered as they were led up the grand stairs to the entrance where they would be meeting Professor McGonagall who would then take them into the grand hall. Draco smiled linking his fingers with Harry’s and giving his hand a squeeze.</p><p>“wherever you are, I will be, I promise Harry” He swore aware that there was a strange laughing sound from behind them. He didn’t have to turn round to know that it was Ronald. He was trying his hardest to ignore the ginger, for the sakes of his friendship with the twins, but it was clear the youngest male Weasley wasn’t going to let things slide. Before he had a chance to say anything Seamus was spinning around and growling</p><p>“Yer got some kind of problem, pal?” The Irish boy was smaller than Harry, but he was bulky from years of boxing. Ronan Finnegan was proud that his son had followed in his mother’s footsteps and had inherited magic, but he had wanted something between them, and they had fallen on boxing which had recently started becoming kickboxing, so even at eleven it was clear that there was muscle under his robes. Ronald’s face almost immediately matched his hair as he looked around for support before shrugging and gesturing to his and Harry’s joined hands. Immediately, Harry started to pull away in embarrassment, but Draco held him tightly. “What about it?”</p><p>“They are holding hands.”</p><p>“Are you jealous? I’m sure if you ask really nicely, Draco will hold your hand.” Pansy asked with a smirk flanking Draco and Harry as she too glared at Ronald as though he were something unpleasant, she had stepped in. If Ronald had an answer it was cut short by the appearance of several ghosts floating through the various walls. Draco recognised Nearly Headless Nick immediately talking with a stout ghost dressed in a monk’s robe. From what he heard of the conversation they were discussing Peeves the poltergeist. The ghosts stopped moving as they saw them, the fat monk letting out a gasp of surprise as a few of the students let out screams.</p><p>“What are you all doing out here?” The fat monk said with a happy sort of voice smiling at them fondly while Nick looked at them all and beamed.</p><p>“First years! Getting ready for the sorting! Hadrian, Draco! How pleasant it is to see you again!” The ghost said in a booming voice that caused more students to look at them again. Draco kept his chin up smiling at the ghosts as he bowed politely.</p><p>“Sir Nicholas, a pleasure to see you again, sir”.</p><p>“I know you! You are nearly headless Nick! My brothers told me about you!” Ronald said and Draco could see the ghosts pale face become a few shades paler as he gave a disappointed huff.</p><p>“I prefer, Sir Nicholas…”</p><p>“Nearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?” The girl from the train with the bushy hair asked in a nasally tone which Draco knew would soon grate on his nerves. It was the sort of tone that said quite clearly ‘I’m better at anything than you’. Draco knew the tone well, it was the same one that he himself used, however, he hated hearing it on other people. Nick’s top lip curled and then he slowly pulled on of his ears saying,</p><p>“Like this…” His head came almost completely off his torso with only a thin patch of skin and muscle holding it in place. The girl, Hermione, flinched her nose wrinkling while a few more children let out more vocal noises of shock and disgust Seamus on the other hand cried out happily,</p><p>“That is bloomin’ awesome!”</p><p>“Thank-you” Nick smiled putting his head back onto his shoulders as McGonagall cleared her throat drawing everyone’s attention to her. She was wearing another set of deep green robes but there was a panel of black down the front that was etched with gold stitches. The ghosts floated away some wishing them all the best with the sorting, the others talking once again about Peeves and what they were going to do with him.</p><p>“Good evening first years, I am Professor McGonagall, deputy headmistress of Hogwarts and head of Gryffindor, in just a few moments you will be led through these doors and be sorted into your houses” Draco flashed the teacher a smile as she turned to look at him and Harry and she returned it very briefly before continuing “The houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. While you are here your houses will be your family, good grades and behaviour will earn you points while rule breaking will lose you points. Each house as a head, Ravenclaw is Professor Flitwick, Hufflepuff is Professor Sprout, Slytherin is Professor Snape. However, any and all of the teachers here at Hogwarts are available if you have any difficulties. Headmistress Sinistra is available day or night. Any questions?”</p><p>“…Why did Dumbledore have to leave? Wasn’t he the greatest wizard of all time? I wanted to learn under him!” Hermione asked immediately “I read all about him!”</p><p>“Professor Dumbledore was indeed a gifted Wizard; however, his methods were not considered suitable for a headmaster at Hogwarts, and Headmistress Sinistra has proven herself to be a great replacement, now no more questions? Jolly good, let us go” McGonagall ignored Hermione’s waving hand and the look that clearly stated she had a million more questions and turned smartly on her heel and walked to the double doors of the main hall.</p><p>The doors opened with a wave of a hand and they all swept in, passed the four long tables that had all the other years staring at them, and down towards the long teacher’s table. Draco’s eyes immediately searched out his godfather who was sitting on the far end with Nino on one side of him and a wizard wearing a turban on the other. His thin lips curled into the smallest of smiles while Nino was almost bouncing in her seat looking beautiful as always in a flowered kimono. In front of the head table there was a stool with a beat-up hat sat upon it and Draco watched as a split near the brim opened and the hat started singing</p><p>“Oh you may not think I’m pretty, but don’t judge on what you see. I’ll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me. You can keep your bowlers black, your top hats sleek and tall, For I am the Hogwarts sorting hat and I can cap them all. There’s nothing hidden in your head the sorting hat can’t see. So try me on and I will tell you where you ought to be. You might belong in Gryffindor where dwell the brave at heart, their daring, nerve and chivalry set Gryffindor apart; You might belong in Hufflepuff where they are just and loyal. Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil. Or yet in Ravenclaw if you’ve a ready mind, where the those of wit and learning will always find their kind. Or perhaps in Slytherin, you’ll make your real friends, those cunning fold use any means to achieve their ends. So put me on! Don’t be afraid! And don’t get in a flap! You’re in safe hands (Though I have none) for I am a thinking cap!”</p><p>A thunderous applause sounded out from the students at the tables and Draco found himself scowling at the hat. He had no idea where it would put him but he wasn’t not going to be with Harry. He would set the hat alight before being separated he decided as McGonagall moved to it and lifted it up.</p><p>“This is the sorting hat, when I say your name, I want you to come over and I will set the hat on your head…Susan Bones…” She called and a nervous girl with wispy hair darted forward and sat on the seat. It didn’t take long for the hat to call out Hufflepuff. The girl sighed happily and then moved over to the table that was cheering. Slowly McGonagall went down the alphabetical list and Draco smiled as Seamus was placed into Gryffindor after much deliberation. As it got closer to his name he felt Harry’s nails digging in painfully to his hand and he swallowed watching McGonagall form the name Draco Malfoy.</p><p>“It will be okay, Harry, I promise” Draco whispered before going to the stool and sitting down. The hat slid over his eyes and Draco heard its voice in his mind.</p><p>“Oh…Interesting…A Malfoy, you should be in Slytherin, yes, in another time, another place…So easy…You still have that cunning, that drive for power…Slytherin would be your true…”</p><p>“I’m not going into a house before you sort Harry, when you have sorted him, then you can put me in the same house. We are not being separated…”</p><p>“That isn’t how this works.” The hat sounded amused and Draco shrugged prepared to be under the hat for as long as it took to get it to agree. He knew that the hat could feel that resolve and it almost tested it by almost shouting out Slytherin.</p><p>“It is today. Harry is my friend, I will be in the same house as him…Sort Harry and then sort me”</p><p>“Very well…” The Hat huffed before saying loudly to the great hall. “Harry Potter!”</p><p>“What?” McGonagall spluttered ripping the hat off Draco’s head while the great hall buzzed with excitement all craning their necks to see where Harry Potter was.</p><p>“Bring Harry Potter here…” The hat huffed as Draco got up from the stool and stood beside it holding out his hand for his friend. Harry looked green in the face but slowly he came forward and sat down.</p><p>Harry swallowed nervously as the hat slipped over his head, he felt Draco’s hand on his shoulder, but it did little to comfort him as the hat started speaking.</p><p>“Where to put you, where to put you, you’re brave, braver than you know, and you long to prove yourself, but your mind, your mind is a buzz with knowledge…I suppose, you better be in Ravenclaw!” The hat shouted its announcement to the great hall and Harry was met with a buzzing silence that was only broken by Professor Flitwick growing so excited he fell off his stool. Eventually, applause broke out on the Ravenclaw table and the hat was once again on Draco’s head. It was there for all of five seconds before it screamed Ravenclaw.</p><p>“I told you, Harry, we would stay together.” Draco announced happily taking his hand and leading him to their new house table.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ravenclaw…I know most of you wanted them in Slytherin, but Harry in this isn’t Slytherin…But they are together...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Ravenclaw table was silent as Harry and Draco sat down and Harry could feel the overwhelming pressure of peoples’ eyes on him. He smiled weakly at a few of the people closest to him and then looked over at the head table. Severus was looking over at him his eyes warm and a faint smile playing around on his thin lips as Nino chatted happily away on his left and the man in the turban sat pale faced and silent on his right.</p><p>“Pleasure to have you both in Ravenclaw.” A girl spoke at last drawing Harry’s attention back to the table while a few more students were being sorted. “I am Penelope Clearwater, prefect of Ravenclaw…”</p><p>“Draco Malfoy and this is Hadrian Potter-Lupin-Snape…” Draco introduced them with a wave of his hand and Harry flashed the girl a smile. She was ordinary looking with brown hair, and a narrow face with a pointed nose. She wore glasses with a blue and bronze tie and a pin on her lapel that announced her as being Prefect. It seemed to have been polished almost furiously. It caught light from almost all the candles in the immediate area.</p><p>“Just Harry is fine.”</p><p>“So…You really are…Harry Potter?” A girl, Chao-Xing Chang, who had been sorted before them asked with wonder from Penelope’s side. As if realising that she was staring the girl flushed and then held out her hand for him to take. She was a pretty girl with short black hair and a round face. Her accent threw him off more than a little, but only because he was used to Nino and her thick Japanese accent. “Um sorry, I’m Chao-Xing Chang. Most people call me Cho…’Cause they can’t be bothered to learn my name.”</p><p>“Nice to meet you. Yes, I’m really Harry Potter though I was adopted by my parents’ friends Remus Lupin and Severus Snape…” Harry answered clinging to Draco’s hand unnerved by the looks he was getting. There was another gasp and hiss as the older students started to whisper about Severus and his connection to him.</p><p>“Snape? As in Professor Snape?” Penelope hissed in shock her eyes going to the top table. Severus was once again watching the sorting, but Harry knew that he was paying attention to everything that was going on.</p><p>“Yes. He is my Dad.”</p><p>“…Wow…Sorry! Um, just never imagined him having a kid…But…Wow…” Penelope said managing to force out a weak smile before turning to glare at the students still whispering. Some were outright pointing at him now and Harry tried to make himself as small as possible, which was easy, he was already the smallest at the table. Thankfully, Chao-Xing seemed to be completely unaware of what was going on around her as she chatted happily about how glad she was to be in Ravenclaw.</p><p>“My parents were both Claws, Dad was a Prefect, mum kept getting lost and he helped her find her way, my dad’s Scottish, my mum is Chinese, her parents came over when she was six…Oh your friend is being sorted!” She said pointing as Pansy was called to the stool to have the hat placed on her head. Pansy looked happy and confident as she sat on the stool with her legs neatly folded under her, her hands resting on her knees like a proper lady of the manor but Harry could see that his friend was nervous from the way her smile was frozen on her lips.</p><p>“Ten Knuts its Slytherin” Draco said but Harry shook his head. To those that didn’t know her Pansy was stereotypically a Slytherin, which was perfectly fine, but Harry had the feeling that she had more in her than that. “Her whole family have been in Slytherin.”</p><p>“So have yours, you’re a Ravenclaw now.” Harry pointed out motioning to the tie around Draco’s neck which had turned blue and bronze the moment the hat had called out his new house. Draco looked at the tie and shrugged.</p><p>“I said I would be with you, even if you were in Hufflepuff…”</p><p>“You guys are really great friends” Chao-Xing said from her side of the table a huge grin on her face and Harry gave a nod.</p><p>“Dray is my best friend, actually he’s more than a friend…” Harry whispered squeezing the fingers once more as the hat finally called out.</p><p>“Gryffindor!”</p><p>“Well…That’s…Unexpected…” Draco said as Pansy removed the hat and handed it over to McGonagall who looked shocked but somewhat pleased from the twist of her lips. Pansy gave them both a thumbs up before moving to sit next to Seamus who was whistling and shouting louder than anyone else. Soon it was the last few names being called and Harry watched with interest as Ronald Weasley sat on the stool. He had been telling everyone that would listen on the boats that his whole family had been in Gryffindor and that it would be a crime if he was anywhere else. The hat seemed to take even longer for Ron than it had Pansy but slowly the brim opened.</p><p>“Slytherin!”</p><p>“No! I can’t be in Slytherin! I can’t! Only bad wizards and witches are in Slytherin!” Ron whimpered genuinely looking as though he were about to cry as the hat was taken from his head. He looked at McGonagall with a pleading expression. “Please, can’t we try again? I can’t be a Slytherin! I’m a Gryffindor!”</p><p>“I’m sorry Mr Weasley but the hat has spoken. Not all those in Slytherin house are bad, that is a foolish and narrow-minded view of the world.” A softly accented voice spoke from the head table and Harry saw that it was the black-haired woman that he had seen when he had Draco had come to visit. From her position at the table, and the way all the older students had fallen silent, Harry knew that this was the new Headmistresses Madam Sinistra. She had the sort of timeless beauty people had painted in Rome or Greece with plump lips and a ebony colour to her skin. Her lashes were dark as though she was wearing make-up and her hair was coiled up high. She looked young to be the headmistress of a school, but his Dad had told him that looks could be deceiving. Sinistra had been taught at the French school of Magic Beauxbatons and was skilled in the art of Astronomy. “The Hogwarts tradition of the sorting hat is a long one and not once has it misplaced a student…”</p><p>“Malfoy!” Ron growled pointing a bony finger at Draco, who simply stared back lifting a pale eyebrow. “How is he in Ravenclaw and not Slytherin? Everyone knows the Malfoy’s are Death Eaters…I won’t be in a house of snakes!”</p><p>“Then I will write to your parents, you may gather your things and be on the first train to London in the morning” Sinistra said with a shrug taking up her Goblet and having a sip. Harry looked over to Slytherin house noting how, if he would even end up there, Ron had thoroughly isolated himself from any friendships in that house. “For now, sit with the house that you have been assigned…”</p><p>“But…But…Percy!”</p><p>“Ronald! Sit down!” The boy addressed as Percy hissed his face as red as his hair as he tried his best not to draw attention to himself. A glance at the twins told Harry that they were loving the reaction of their brother. Ron slowly made his way to the table his feet dragging on the tiles. When he reached it the entire student body of Slytherin looked at him with disgust moving as far away from him as they could without falling from their seats.</p><p>“Well! I bet that’s never happened before” Chao-Xing giggled as the rest of the sorting went off without a hitch with only two more students being sorted. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So…I hated that Cho Chang just seemed to have a stereotypical Asian name as though JK wasn’t sure if she were Chinese or Korean or What. I have many east Asian friends and their names are so beautiful. I couldn’t change it completely, so I changed it slightly. Chao-Xing means Morning Star in Chinese. </p><p> </p><p>Ron, dear-me, Ronnikins in the Snake house…was that a bit of a shock? I promise there is a reason I changed it…&gt;.&lt; I don’t hate Ron, but he was always so blinded…&gt;.&lt; </p><p>I hope that this is okay!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p>“And so, after that eventful sorting, it is my greatest duty to welcome you all to Hogwarts” Madam Sinistra said standing and giving them all a smile. Her deep chocolate brown eyes shining in the light of the thousand candles. “This year marks my first full year as head mistress of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a position I am truly honoured to have been given. My fellow teachers and I are proud to dedicate our time to teach you. So, before the feast I would like to introduce the first years to our staff here…Professor McGonagall you have already met, she is my right hand, a talented witch head of Gryffindor. The rather excitable fellow is Professor Flitwick, charms master and head of Ravenclaw. The wonderful lady next to him is Professor Sprout, the brightest Herbologist Hogwarts has ever known and Head of Hufflepuff. Next, we have a new, we have for this year, Kazuko Ninomiya, a white robe graduate of the Japanese school of witchcraft.” Harry smiled at Nino while the small Japanese witch gave the students a bright smile and a wave. Around him he could hear some of the older male students catcall and whistle, not too loudly but enough that they were heard. “Professor Ninomiya will be teaching Defence against the dark arts. Next to her is Professor Snape, he was the youngest potions master in the world and is currently head of Slytherin house…”</p><p>Severus regarded the students with a frozen bored stare his eyes dark and unreadable. The response from almost all the students wasn’t as warm as it had been for the other teachers and Harry felt a twinge of sadness for his father. He knew Severus wouldn’t care, but Harry knew how long and hard Severus worked to make the potions for the school as well as his own lesson plans. “Next to Professor Snape, is Professor Quirrell, some of our older students may remember that he acted as our Muggle Studies teacher, I am glad to say that this year he has re-joined our staff as Astrology professor.” As Sinistra spoke the name of the turban wearing man Harry’s eyes drifted over. He was a pale nervous looking man who had a visible twitch in his left eye. He looked around the hall for just a fraction of a second before turning his attention to his plate. Harry couldn’t bring himself to look away from the strange purple turban that was coiled neatly around the man’s head.</p><p>“Professor Quirrell was meant to be Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher this year” Penelope whispered as Sinistra introduced some more of the staff. “He went searching for Vampires or something last year for practical experience, but it messed up his head, at least that’s what some of the students were saying on the train…”</p><p>“I heard that his turban is stuffed with garlic to keep a vampire away…” A boy to Penelope’s left said with a laugh as the table was suddenly heavy with food. “He must be miffed that he lost out on the Defence post…”</p><p>“Not nearly as much as Snape, everyone knows he wants that job…”</p><p>“Dad loves potions, he has never wanted to do anything else” Harry hummed smiling gratefully as Draco filled his plate for him and poured him a pumpkin juice. It was a lie, at least a little one, Snape did want to do something else. He wanted to run his own potions shop on Diagon Alley and find a cure for Werewolf-ism, but he needed money for dreams like that and he had pride he wouldn’t accept handouts.</p><p>“I still can’t believe Snape has a kid…Even an adopted one! And Harry Potter!” The boy over the other side of the table said in a rush while his friend nodded in agreement. The rest of the table were listening in but they weren’t be overly aggressive though Chao-Xiang looked as though she were about to fight both of the older boys if they didn’t shut up sometime soon.</p><p>“I can’t believe he has a life outside Hogwarts! He must be a strict dad, right?” A third student asked through a mouthful of potatoes and Harry felt Draco tensing at his side and could see the way he was holding his knife like a weapon now.</p><p>“…He is caring, he doesn’t suffer fools lightly, but he is never strict.” Harry said with a shake of the head patting Draco’s thigh gently. Thankfully conversation soon turned to other subjects and the first years were ignored until Seamus and Pansy came floating over from Gryffindor halfway through dessert.</p><p>“Can you believe it? Me! A lion!” Pansy gushed dropping down half on Harry’s lap and half on Draco’s “I almost had a heart attack! I thought for sure Slytherin but no, the hat said I had untapped courage! Me!”</p><p>“You are a fearsome lady” Harry chuckled before taking a bite of his treacle tart.</p><p>“Red looks good on you, Pans, and you can keep an eye on Seamus.” Draco laughed pushing aside his now empty plate. Across the table Chao-Xiang was watching with a smile on her face while she played around with an orange sorbet and a spoon. Draco noticed her looking and gave a smile motioning to the two Gryffindor’s “Chao-Xiang, may I introduce our friends? Pansy Parkinson and Seamus Finnigan, Pants, Irish, this is Chao-Xiang Chan.”</p><p>“Pleased ter meet yer” Seamus said with a happy grin and wave. Chao-Xiang smiled very prettily and Harry found himself relaxing. He had been worried about the sorting and fitting in but it seemed that he had at least one nice person in his new house.</p><p>“Can you believe Ronald?” Pansy asked with a smirk looking over at the table where the ginger haired boy was sitting all alone. “The terrible two almost broke a rib trying not to laugh while the eldest Percy was dying of embarrassment. I thought for sure smoke was going to come out his ears!”</p><p>“Do you think he will go home?”</p><p>“Who knows? Who cares?” Draco mumbled with a careless shrug. “I am sure Hogwarts will survive with one less Weasley.”</p><p>“I feel bad for the twins.”</p><p>“Oh, I wouldn’t, they loved it. They can’t wait to write to their mum and dad.” Seamus laughed before cracking a few jokes with Chao-Xiang until Madam Sinistra called for silence.</p><p>“I am delighted to already see interhouse friendships forming at the Ravenclaw table, however for now I think you should return to your own table so your house prefects can escort you to your dorms?” She said with a warm and happy grin in their direction. Pansy and Seamus flushed just a little as hundreds of eyes turned to look at them before they shuffled off to their own table once more. “Now, I have a few serious announcements for all the new first years. The forbidden forest is off limits to all students as is the village of Hogsmeade to students under third year. Hogwarts is a place of learning and as such it is as safe as it can possibly be for all students however, precautions must be taken. Magic is a wonderful but temperamental art and carelessness causes damage however, if you follow the rules and work hard the school will become your home and your classmates your family, even if you are not in the same house. Now prefects if you could escort the first years to their houses before the rest of the students go to your dorms. Sleep well, tomorrow you will begin your journey into life as a witch or wizard.”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ugh! I’m sorry! This chapter didn’t want to come out at all &gt;.&lt; I should have scrapped it all together but after working on it for a few days and liking some of it I just decided to roll with it. I promise more Draco/Harry moments when they are in the dorm, there is the issue of the sleeping arrangements after all…<br/>Hermione is in Gryffindor. <br/>Neville is in Hufflepuff.<br/>For the most part everyone else is in the same houses otherwise…&gt;.&lt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This is the best route from the Great Hall to the Ravenclaw dorm” Penelope told the first years leading them up a winding staircase towards one of the towers. The Gryffindors had been with them for a while but they had separated on a moving staircase with Pansy and Seamus telling them they would see them at breakfast the next morning. “You will be given a map in the morning along with your school lesson plan. Nobody is expecting you to know your way around straight away but if you can at least memorise the route from the dorm to the main hall you can find your way around from there.” Penelope led them up another flight of stairs and then stopped outside a painting of a beautiful lady on horseback. In one hand she was carrying weights and in the other a chaft of wheat. A golden crown was on her head looking almost like the rays of the sun. A flowing gown seemed to float around her and the horse and Harry recognised her from one of the paintings in the west wing of Malfoy manor.</p><p>“Madam Hester” He said with a bow he had spent the afternoon talking to her painting and had found out about much of her life. She had been born the youngest child of a miller and had seemed to be destined for a life of poverty until Hogwarts had been opened. She had been the first student sorted into Ravenclaw and had become renowned for her intelligence forming the order that would eventually be called the unspeakables who dove into the deepest depths of magic. She had married one of the lesser Malfoy’s and had sadly died in childbirth along with her second child, one of the first affected by the curse that sought out the Malfoy’s. The woman in the portrait smiled at him inclining her head just a little before frowning as the sun crown slipped over her eyes.</p><p>“Honestly! Why am I wearing this crown?” She asked with a huff throwing down the chaft of wheat and the scales so she could pull the offending crown from her head. “A waste of time. My husband’s idea of course. First years of Ravenclaw, welcome to your new home, I will make your first question an easy one…Mr and Mrs Mustard have six daughters and each daughter has one brother. How many people are in the Mustard family?” The portrait gave them a smile playing around with her crown as all of the first years looked at each other. Some even started counting on their fingers until eventually Draco huffed,</p><p>“There are nine. All sisters all share one brother. Six girls, one boy, mother and father.”</p><p>“Correct, well done little Draco. I told you it would be an easy one. Welcome to Ravenclaw.” The painting swung open slowly revealing a small set of stairs and a doorway. The stairs were made of polished white stone with swirls of black and what appeared to be glitter giving it a magical glow. There was space only for them to go one at a time, but Harry continued to cling to his friend while Chao-Xiang followed close behind. Once inside the dorm Harry was blown away by the sheer splendour of it. Blue and bronze were the main theme with a huge brown Raven with outstretched wings sitting on a perch atop the fireplace. Dark blue sofas were in front of it and there were tables and chairs on either side as well as shelves of books. The floor was the same swirling white, black, and glitter while dotted everywhere were thick comfy looking blue carpets.</p><p>“The books here are for the use of Ravenclaw students only. They are not to be taken outside of our dorm; they contain many of Lady Ravenclaw’s private volumes.” The male Prefect standing beside Penelope told them sounding stuffy as he did so. His chest puffed up proudly as though he himself owned the books and they didn’t belong to the whole house. Harry was impressed though and he was itching to read some of the books which seemed to be even older than the ones in the manor library.</p><p>“Harry, not until morning.” Draco hummed lightly with an exasperated but fond smile tugging at his lips. Harry gave his friend a grin as they were finally led to their dorm which was on the left side of the eagle while Chao-Xiang went with the girls to the right. Another flight of stairs led them to a circular room with five, single four poster beds. They had rich blue curtains with bronze trim and beautiful polished dark wood. They weren’t as fancy as his bed at home, but they were nice and Harry smiled at the sight of a small stuffed raven on each of the beds.</p><p>“Jake Pointer” A boy with mousy brown hair that curled around his temples squeaked nervously as the door closed behind the last of the boys. Draco arched an eyebrow before moving to his trunk leaving Harry to introduce himself and his friend.</p><p>“Harry Potter-Lupin-Snape”</p><p>“That’s a mouthful…Are you born a wizard? My parents are regular humans. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as magic until deputy headmistress McGonagall came to my house.”</p><p>“He’s Harry Potter! He is the most famous boy in the wizarding world!” Another of his new dormmates said jabbing the Muggleborn in the side with an elbow.</p><p>“Please, I’m just Harry.” Harry said awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. He didn’t scratch, but it was a painfully close thing. His skin seemed to be prickling with the recently forgotten nerves and he was glad when, as always, Draco came to save him.</p><p>“Draco Malfoy you are Francis Draven, second son of the Herbert Draven. Your father works with mine on the school board. It is nice to meet you. Harry, come and get your pyjamas. Its been a long day and tomorrow will be even longer.”</p><p>“Yup, coming Dray.” Harry hurried over to his own trunk and pulled out the pale blue pyjamas Remus had picked out for him. They had a yellow pigmy puff on the left breast pocket, something the werewolf hadn’t noticed at the time, and Harry touched it gently watching at the way the little fluff ball was spelled to giggle.</p><p>“Why are you ordering him about?” The third and last boy in their dorm asked his arms folding across his chest as he glared at Draco. It was clear that while the other two didn’t seem to mind Draco, or the Malfoy name, this boy had a dislike of his friend. “Death eater scum. Weasley was right, you should have been in Slytherin.”</p><p>“If that was the case, I would have been in Slytherin. The hat put me in Ravenclaw…”</p><p>“Only after Harry was put into Ravenclaw. You tricked the hat somehow.”</p><p>“Harry, do you need the bathroom?” Draco asked ignoring the rude boy who was causing the other two to look at Draco with suspicion.</p><p>“I need to brush my teeth and wash my face. Do you think I should have spoken to Dad?” Harry asked following Draco to the bathroom and leaving the other boys to look at each other. Harry wasn’t nearly as good at ignoring people as Draco, but he was determined to be better at sticking up for his friend. Draco was going to get a lot of people bullying him just because of who he was. “Do you think he was upset I wasn’t a Slytherin?”</p><p>“Harry, I’m positive Uncle Sev’ knew you are a complete Ravenclaw. You can talk to him tomorrow, but don’t worry about it, ‘kay?” Draco asked slathering up his toothbrush with the minty fresh paste and Harry did the same. Jake came into the bathroom a minute later followed by Francis.</p><p>“Ignore Albright, his dad is a follower of Dumbledore.” Francis said softly shuffling up to the other skin and taking out a lame green toothbrush. “Not many people know what’s going on with Dumbledore and Harry, but the press is saying some stuff…Or they were…Until a few days ago.”</p><p>“What happened a few days ago?”</p><p>“Gringotts, it was robbed…Or broken into…”</p><p>“What? Is that even possible?” Harry gasped his eyes and mouth wide looking at Draco who appeared to be just as shocked. Draco shook his head and shrugged. “What did they take?”</p><p>“The Goblins aren’t saying. They didn’t even want to admit it happened, I always thought something really bad would happen if you tried to rob Gringotts, but who ever it was seems to have gotten away with it.” Francis spoke with a mouthful of foam and Harry had to struggle to understand him for some reason his scar gave a tingle, as though a sudden burst of electricity had been passed through it. “But since then the stuff about you and Dumbledore has died down a bit. Honestly, though, don’t let Albright bother you, he’s a good guy really…We’ve been friends since we were in nappies…Just everyone thinks its weird…Harry Potter with the Malfoys…I mean…I don’t…But…Yeah…”</p><p>“Yeah…Harry, ready for bed?” Draco asked and Harry nodded his stomach dropping as he realised that he would have to sleep alone. The boys would think it was weird if they shared a bed, and the bed wasn’t big enough for them both. He hadn’t slept alone since being with the Malfoy’s and he didn’t think he could cope with it now. “Which bed should we use? I guess it doesn’t matter, but you like to be near a window so you can see the stars so I suppose we should use this one?” Draco motioned to the bed that had the best view of the large bay window and Harry was aware that they were being watched with bewilderment.</p><p>“Dray, you don’t have to…”</p><p>“I want to, so pick.”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Urgh sorry for the delay! My mum has decided that she couldn’t stay alone after losing my dad and has decided to move in with me cause… yeah…Busy decorating and trying to get forty years of stuff moved in as short a time as possible…While having to deal with her grief on top of my own…</p><p>As for the chapter, I hope you liked it…More Draco and Harry in the next part, I promise…😊</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The single bed was a lot cosier than their bed at home, but they were used to snuggling so they figured out pretty easily how to wrap their arms around each other comfortably. Draco spelled the curtains closed, complete with a privacy spell, so they were lost in their own world. The excitement of the day had made Harry tired but his trepidation about his first day of real listens refused to allow him to drift to what should be a welcome sleep.</p><p>“You always think too loudly.” Draco chuckled sleepily his hand trailing up and down his arm. “What’s wrong, Harry?”</p><p>“I was thinking about lessons…And what the other students will be like. Will they all be like Albright? I hate it when people pick on you because of your name.”</p><p>“Harry, I couldn’t give a toss what other people think of me, besides, I have you on my side…And you have me.” Draco used the hand draped over his stomach to tickle him just a little and Harry let out a snort of laughter while wiggling as much as he could without failing off the bed. “It’s us against the world, Harry…”</p><p>“I will always be on your side, Dray, but you also have Pans, Seamus, and the twins…” Harry smiled snuggling more into his friend resting his head against his chest so he could listen to the sound of his heart. It was a comforting steady sound, and he allowed the steadiness of it to regulate his own heartbeat and allow it to soothe away his anxiety. “But I still wish people could know the real you. You and Aunt Cissy and Uncle Luci…”</p><p>“Harry, those that matter know, those that don’t, well they simply don’t matter. My mother made me realise that. I have always been a Malfoy Harry; I have always had people like Albright thinking the worst of me because of it.” Draco informed him with a careless shrug his voice causing his chest to vibrate loudly. Harry had already known this though Draco had never gone into much detail, Pansy had told a few stories about her own childhood and the bullying she had received, and he had guessed Draco had had much of the same. It was hard to hear his friend talking about it though and he rubbed his nose lightly against his chest. “The first time I had something like that happen was when I was younger, about five, mother took me to a park, I wanted to play with some other children, their parents wouldn’t let me play with them. They snatched them away. I remember crying, I was only incredibly young, I didn’t know about the war and the dark lord or why adults hissed at me. Mother found me crying holding my Pigmy puff stuffed toy in the middle of a now empty playground. I sobbed as I told her what had happened, and she told me that I wasn’t to blame. Mistakes in the past cast shadows over the future. It wasn’t fair, she said wiping my eyes, and I wouldn’t understand for a long time but one day I would have friends who wouldn’t care about the shadows. The next day I was introduced to Pansy. Growing up I always thought I would only have friends with ‘Dark’ children. Then I wrote to you and you became my greatest friend. I don’t need the world to like me, Harry.”</p><p>“You saved my life, Draco, you’re a hero, you’re my hero.”</p><p>“Mother and Father did most of the saving…” Draco grumbled dismissively, and Harry let out a soft laugh pressing himself further into Draco’s chest. Draco was probably right, he didn’t need the world to know what a wonderful boy he was, but Harry wished, and wished that people would see it. His eyes stayed closed and before he knew it, he was drifting into a strange dream where he was wearing the odd purple turban the muggle studies teacher had worn. It was telling him repeatedly that he should be in Slytherin house and that he had made a big mistake. The more he argued with the turban the heavier and tighter it became until he was clawing at his face and thrashing around on the three-legged stool, he was sitting in. “Harry, Harry…Sush…You’re okay, it’s just me…Wake up…You’re dreaming…” Draco called soothingly shaking him awake and Harry blinked slowly shaking away the residue of sleep from his eyes aware that a thin strand of pale light was now coming in through the curtains. It was too weak to be the sun, but it seemed impossibly bright to be the moon.</p><p>“Dray? Sorry…I didn’t mean to wake you…” He whispered his voice thick with the remnants of his dream as he realised that he had scratched at his face. “Bad dream.”</p><p>“You haven’t had one in a while, Harry, was it the Dursley’s?” Draco asked with pure concern in his pale face and Harry shook his head slowly biting on his lip for just a moment. He opened his mouth to explain the dream but realised that it had faded away. He couldn’t remember a single thing about it.</p><p>“I can’t remember…Maybe? Probably…” He answered honestly and Draco gave a small hum peering at him through the milky light. “Honestly, I don’t remember…It’s probably because it’s a strange bed, I’m fine, Dray, honest…Let’s just go back to sleep.”</p><p>“Fine, but if you have anymore you have to tell your Dad…”</p><p>“I know, Dray, I promise I will.” Harry nodded settling into the bed again with Draco securely pressed against his side. Listening to the gentle breathing of his friend Harry drifted back to sleep and dreamt of Cherry Blossoms in Japan and the way the pink blooms had rained down around them like raindrops. That was a dream he happily remembered when he woke the next morning to the sounds of the other boys getting ready out in the dorm. Hearing the movement of the others made him realise that meant that Draco had left the bed and broken the spell that he had placed around them the night before. The curtains were still closed however, and he pretended to be asleep listening to Albright who was chuntering loudly.</p><p>“They slept together.”</p><p>“So?” Francis grumbled clearly not a morning person as he soon let out a loud yawn. “It’s probably a comfort thing, just leave it…”</p><p>“You’re telling me that it isn’t strange? Malfoy orders him around and then forces him to share a bed? He’s just manipulating Harry, Dumbledore said that the whole family is poisoning him trying to turn him into the next dark lord…”</p><p>“Albright…”</p><p>“Dray doesn’t force me to do anything!” Harry hissed throwing open the curtains and glaring at Albright. “Dray sleeps with me cause I have nightmares without him! You keep whispering about Draco, but he is my best friend, he saved my life. I don’t care what your parents told you, or what you believe about the Malfoy’s! Your hero Dumbledore? He left me with my Aunt and Uncle, my aunt and uncle who hated magic and did everything they could to beat it out of me! They locked me in the cupboard under the stairs, they refused me food, hit me if I didn’t listen and Dumbledore knew…He thought it would build ‘character’ make me into a hero…The Malfoy’s saved me, so you can take what you think you know and shove it up your arse!” Harry jumped up from the bed and pushed into Albright’s chest making his way to the bathroom at the far end of the dorm before pausing and lifting up the back of his PJ’s to show the faint lines of scars across his back. “This is what Dumbledore allowed to happen to me…”</p><p>“Harry, it’s okay…” Draco hummed lightly stepping out of the bathroom and holding him by the shoulders a bemused smile on his face. “You didn’t listen to a word I said about not caring, did you?”</p><p>“Dray, we’re gonna be roommates for seven years. I can’t stand them hating you for that long…I put up with the Dursley’s whispering and calling me behind my back for years, I won’t let it happen again, not to you…” Harry growled glaring at Albright who had gone a little pale and silent. Francis looked shocked and Jake was confused and half asleep in his bed. The air in the dorm crackled for a moment and then Albright cleared his throat.</p><p>“Is that…True?”</p><p>“You want to see a memory? I have to have therapy once a week to get over it and I’m still on potions to counteract the Dursley’s and Dumbledore’s treatment of me…Dray, I need to use the bathroom and then we should go down to breakfast, right?”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Urgh! Harry and Draco always seem too old…But I justify it because Draco is trained to be Lord Malfoy one day and Harry has never really be a kid…I hope you liked this part…</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hey guys! Sorry not a chapter! It's been a strange few weeks and I haven't had real time to write but I have a question...</p><p>I received a comment telling me that this was too fluffy and that there was no real danger since everyone harry meets are on his side... I want to know if everyone feels that way?</p><p>This story was meant to be darker but then I lost my boyfriend and my dad and well I wanted fluffy plus I had to establish this version of the Harry Potter world and since they were not in the 'real world' but the safety of malfoy Manor I thought that they would only really be exposed to people on their side... Now they are at hogwarts the threat will become clear...</p><p>But I wanted to know if everyone thought this was too slow paced or fluffy so I can change the direction maybe... I'm sorry if that's the case 🙏 but please let me know so I can fix it<br/>Thanks <br/>Krys</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The great hall was almost entered with only a few sleepy looking Hufflepuffs huddled together on their table and a few more awake older Ravenclaws who already had books out and open in front of them. At the main teachers table Nino and Severus were sitting, Nino looking decidedly unimpressed at being awake so early, and Severus looking about the same as ever. He was reading through a newspaper while sipping a coffee and Harry knew his dad would be trying to complete the crossword before Uncle Luci, the same as they did every morning. Harry made for the head table with Draco trailing after him aware that the eyes of the few students in the hall were on him.</p><p>“Good morning, Dad. Nino…” He said causing the Japanese teacher to let out a sleepy grumble as she tried to smile. Severus gave a small chuckle at her actions and then smiled at him. It wasn’t as wide a smile as Harry had grown used to from the man, but it was filled with warmth and love.</p><p>“Good morning, Harry, Draco, I trust you slept well?”</p><p>“Yes, the bed was comfortable, though a little strange…” Harry answered fidgeting with the lining of his robe before whispering “Um…I’m sorry…”</p><p>“What are you apologising for?” Severus asked, his eyebrow lifted slowly up his pale forehead vanishing into his fringe. Harry shrugged and then collected himself knowing that Severus liked him to be more direct.</p><p>“Not being in Slytherin…”</p><p>“Harry, I have been convinced for many months that you would be in Ravenclaw. I would have liked you in my house but Ravenclaw is where you will do best. It is a good house, Harry, I am surprised that Draco was placed in Ravenclaw, not that you lack intelligence, but I have always thought you a true Slytherin.”</p><p>“I said I would be with Harry, no matter what. I’m really surprised by Pans, who would have thought she would be in Gryffindor?”</p><p>“Indeed, rather like yourself I assumed Miss Parkinson was a true Slytherin. That being said, I am sure she will do well in the house assigned to her, unlike the youngest Mister Weasley.” Severus wasn’t a man who let his expressions show easily but Harry could see the distaste in his dad’s face as he talked about Ronald and he couldn’t help but wonder.</p><p>“What happened last night? When we were being taken to Ravenclaw he was still refusing to go with the Slytherin prefect.”</p><p>“Indeed. He outright refused to go into the Slytherin dorms. The Headmistress placed a Floo call to his parents, little good that it did. Arthur, to be fair, did seem to agree that Mister Weasley should go where the hat put him though the poor man couldn’t get a word in edgewise over Molly.”</p><p>“She was very loud.” Nino put in with a sleepy roughened accent as she cradled her coffee as though it were the elixir of life. Her cute button nose wrinkled as she remembered Molly Weasley’s screeching through the floo the night before. The woman, even with the green tinge of the fire, had looked rather like an overripe tomato as she bellowed that no child of hers was a filthy snake. “I don’t really understand the ins and outs of the houses, but I don’t get what the big deal is? Back home we don’t have them, mostly because there isn’t really enough students to separate them out like, I guess it would have been fun though, I wonder what house I would have been in?”</p><p>“Either Ravenclaw or Slytherin if I were to hazard a guess. Hogwarts houses are rather a big deal, in the western world, perhaps more so than it should be.” Severus sighed lightly his shoulders sagging as he looked at his newspaper and saw that Lucius had already completed the crossword this morning while he lacked four words. Childish and crude comments were written in the side and Severus just barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes at his friends’ antics. “As for Mister Weasley, he remains in Slytherin, however it was agreed that he shall, for the time being, be placed in his own room away from the main dorm. I would have preferred to have him removed from the school altogether but the Weasley’s can ill afford to have him educated elsewhere. Without formal training he shall have his wand broken and be left unable to practice magic at all.”</p><p>“Maybe it’s a good thing he has his own room. The other Slytherin’s didn’t look too thrilled with him.” Harry pointed out remembering the looks on almost every Slytherins face after Ron’s outburst the night before and Severus gave a nod. Draco on the other hand snorted.</p><p>“He is pretty much being rewarded for acting like a spoilt toddler. It’s not as if Slytherin house wanted him anymore than he wanted to be there.”</p><p>“This is true; however it is what it is. How are your fellow Ravenclaw?”</p><p>“As well as can be expected, they don’t like me because I am a Malfoy, and I am controlling Harry somehow and forcing him to do as I say. Which is strange since I thought we were turning Harry into the next Dark Lord, shouldn’t I be listening to everything he says?” Draco pulled a face looking as flippant as ever while Harry bristled as he remembered the cruel words thrown out last night and this morning. “We can deal with them though, right Harry?”</p><p>“Yes, Draco.” Harry managed a smile which vanished as a shadow fell over the table and a musty odour of sour onions and garlic reached his nose. It turned his stomach, and he gagged a little looking up into the pale face of the turbaned teacher he had seen last night.</p><p>“M-M-Mr P-P-Potter…How…How nice to s-ssee you…” The man stuttered nervous beady eyes searching his forehead and Harry found himself shying away from the man.</p><p>“Potter-Lupin-Snape” He corrected nervously his overwhelming sense of politeness struggling to surface. There was something very wrong with this man, he could feel it prickling away at his skin rather like static shock. He was glad that the teacher seemed to be just as nervous as he made no effort to try and shake his hand.</p><p>“I-Indeed? H-H-How od-dd…” Quirrell looked at Severus who was watching him with a closed off expression. “Very…Nice…”</p><p>“You should settle yourself, Quirrell, you look like you could use some tea.” Severus offered calmly holding up a silver teapot and Quirrell nodded moving slowly to sit at the teachers table while Severus ushered for them to leave. “Go have your breakfast, boys, soon you will be in lesson and your brains could use nourishment.”</p><p>“Okay, Dad…I mean Professor, sorry…” Harry agreed glad to be getting away from the strange stuttering professor who was now staring off into the distance as though he had completely forgotten where he was. Severus’ face softened completely as he shook his head.</p><p>“Harry, I am still your dad and you may address me as such, unless we are in lesson. Now, off you go…”</p><p>“See you later! You’re in my first lesson this morning!” Nino said waving a small chunky hand completely unaware of the tension that seemed to have formed over the three at the arrival if the muggle studies teacher. For his part Quirrell didn’t seem to be aware of it either and Harry felt somewhat guilty for his reaction towards him. The man couldn’t help that he smelt strange, could he? He probably didn’t even know, and it couldn’t be easy to be a teacher with a stutter like that. Resolving to be nicer Harry flashed the man a smile and then hurried over to the Ravenclaw table looking forward to the lessons that he was about to start.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank-you so much for your feedback yesterday, it helped me to realise that you like the pacing and fluffiness and I will continue as I am. I get so very nervous about posting stories and want everyone to like them, I know I’m not the best but it makes me happy to have others enjoy what I write…<br/>i will continue to improve </p><p>I hope you enjoyed this partyrfv)</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
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    <p>The boys from their dorm ignored them throughout breakfast only occasionally looking at them from the corners of their eyes but Harry found that he didn’t care. Chao-Xiang and her friend Alice talked enough for the whole table and Harry found himself enjoying the Asian girl’s bubbly personality. It was different from Draco, Pansy, or even Seamus but it wasn’t overbearing like the twins. She talked about everything and anything rarely needing prompting to continue. Alice was only slightly less talkative and neither of them seemed to care that Draco was a Malfoy.</p><p>“Do you think they will let us start real magic straight away? I’ve only practiced a few spells, I’ve read all my books though, I wonder what sort of teacher Ninomiya is? She looks really young. Like she only just graduated. Quirrell looks sick, I’m glad we don’t have muggle studies this year” Chao-Xiang said without pausing for breath her thick Scottish buzzing around the table and Harry swallowed a piece of bacon about to tell her about Nino when a flurry of gasps filled the hall and some students started pointing upwards towards the high windows. Harry turned to look and smiled as he saw the owls flying into the great hall packages and letters attached to most. Harry spotted Hedwig easily against the sea of dark coloured owls and she immediately spotted him and came flying down followed by Draco’s owl who had a package tied to his foot. Hedwig had a small parcel, a letter, and a similar package to Draco’s. Harry recognised the messy scrawl on the top of the small parcel as belonging to Chuck and he took it first carefully untying the twine around it. The brown paper fell open to show a leather-bound book with a guitar etched into the front. He smiled tracing the pattern lightly before opening it up and found that the pages were all music sheets aside from the first which had more of Chuck’s scrawl on it.</p><p>“Hey Harry! Hope you’re well, it’s been arranged with your dads that you will be continuing your music lessons on Saturdays in your dad’s office. So, I have a little extra homework for you, I want you to try writing some music. Doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, just something you can play me when I see you on Saturday and I want you to practice the sheet I already wrote for you. Have a great first week of school kid and remember, Keep rocking! C.S”</p><p>“Chuck?” Draco asked with a smile as Harry flipped the page and saw some notes already carefully placed onto the sheet in front of him. Unlike his writing the notes were all carefully done. It was a simple enough tune, but Harry knew that his skills weren’t good enough.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m continuing my guitar lessons on Saturdays” Harry answered turning his attention to the letter he had been given. It was written in neat copperplate handwriting and he immediately recognised it as being from Gringotts. It wasn’t his monthly statement however as that came at the end of the month, so he tore it open carefully to find a typed letter inside.</p><p>“Dear Lord Potter-Lupin-Snape-Black, we are aware that rumours are circulating about a break in at Gringotts, we would all like to assure you that, although an attempt was made, the vault in question was empty and nothing was taken. We are looking into all possible security issues and we would like you to know that this, in the long history of the bank, has never happened before and we take all threats seriously. The culprit will be found and dealt with. Please accept our sincere apologies for the concern that this may have caused you and we hope that you will continue to do business with Gringotts, yours in good faith. Ugnor Battleborn, manager Gringotts, Diagon Alley, London”</p><p>“Wow, they really are taking it seriously if they wrote out letters.” Draco hummed lining in and reading over his shoulder. His grey eyes narrowed on the words and Harry let out a small noise before asking aloud,</p><p>“Who would be stupid enough to try and break into Gringotts?”</p><p>“Nobody with any sense, everyone knows it is the most secure place in the wizarding world. The enchantments they have in the entrance alone are enough to stop most people even thinking about it.” Draco answered with a shrug as Chao-Xiang and her friend nodded from their side of the table. Harry looked at the top table surprised to see that his father was no longer there. It took him a few moments to realise that the potions teacher was moving down the line of Slytherin students handing them all slips of paper. “I don’t suppose it matters if nothing was taken…”</p><p>“Good Morning, students! I have here your class schedules for the coming year as well as a map of Hogwarts!” Professor Flitwick said in his ever-cheerful tone making his way down the line of students handing them all the same slip of paper as Severus was his house.</p><p>“Professor Flitwick, is your father well? I have just received a letter from Gringotts about the break in…”</p><p>“Father is fine, Mr Potter-Lupin-Snape! Nobody was hurt and nothing was taken, the vault had already been emptied, the letters are just routine! However, I will let father know you asked about him!” Flitwick gave him a huge gummy smile and then handed over the schedule and map and Harry took it with a relieved smile of his own. As Nino had told them they had Defence against the Dark Arts first thing with Hufflepuff, and he smiled glad that the friendly teacher would be teaching them. Chao-Xiang had noticed the same thing as she let out a pleased gasp.</p><p>“Nino is a great teacher; she was mine and Draco’s tutor last year.” Harry informed her looking over at the Japanese teacher who seemed to be reluctantly talking with Quirrell while at the same time trying not to breathe too deeply. Harry gave her an almost sympathetic smile and then turned to the last package Hedwig had brought. It was a care package, the same as Draco’s though his included a letter from Remus on the top.</p><p>“Hello Harry, congratulations in getting into Ravenclaw! I knew that you had the wit and wisdom needed for that house. Your mother and father would be very proud of you, just as Severus and I are. A care package so soon might seem a little much, but it is to keep you going. Take care Harry, remember I am just an owl away should you need me, and Severus is with you at school, I will write again soon. Your Pops…”</p><p>“I think they sent us all the same things. Uncle Sev must have told them about the sorting.” Draco laughed pulling out diaries with the symbol of Ravenclaw on as well as new Quills with blue feathers with gold flicks. At the use of us Harry looked over to their friends at the Gryffindor table and saw that they too had packages with red feathered Quills.</p><p>“You think they brought some of each to send just in case?” Harry chuckled touching the feather on his Quill and Draco nodded happily.</p><p>“I bet that’s what they did, I imagine that they even had yellow ones picked out in case we ended up in Hufflepuff. Are you ready to head back to the dorm and get our books, Harry? Ladies?” He said including Chao-Xiang and her friend who laughed and nodded pushing their empty plates aside. Harry was glad that Draco had included the girls. They were the only ones being normal and nice around them and he wanted peace in his house even if they had Pansy, Seamus and the twins outside of it. As they made their way out of the great hall Harry saw Ron sitting all alone at a table in the far corner his face dark and scornful as his top lip curled.</p><p>“What you looking at, Potter?” He growled in much the same way Dudley and his gang had and Harry had to fight the sickening feeling of panic that came. A warm hand on his arm helped him push through it and he turned his nose upwards and walked out the hall listening to Chao-Xiang and Alice chat excitedly about their upcoming lessons.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Urgh! I’m so so sorry! I know I keep saying it but I mean it! I didn’t mean to drop off the face of the planet again! I just had so much to sort out in real life that I couldn’t bring myself to sit and write. Then it was my birthday on the 15th and I wanted to post something but didn’t manage it but here we are! </p><p>I actually don’t mind Ron in canon, he isn’t my favourite but I don’t hate him, I always wanted more Seamus…However I could easily imagine Ron becoming spiteful and jealous if Harry had never been his friend so that’s how we end up here!</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
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    <p>“Hello and welcome to your first Defence against the dark arts lesson. As the head mistress told you yesterday my name is Kazuko Ninomiya, but please call me Nino. I graduated three years ago from the Japanese academy of magic as a Gold Robe user and my passion has always been spell work, history, mysteries and the combination of all those.” Nino smiled in the friendly way she did when she had been teaching just Harry and Draco and Harry was glad to realise that her lessons were going to be as friendly and relaxed as they had been then. Behind the small Japanese teacher, a piece of chalk was floating against a blackboard copying down everything she was saying and Harry allowed his gaze to drift around the rest of the classroom. Like Nino herself, her teaching space was much the same as it had been in Malfoy manor, though now there were shelves with large arcane looking scrolls sealed with large lumps of aged wax. Decorating the walls were pictures and diagrams, some of various dark creatures, including a werewolf, and of people that seemed to be under the effects of dark magic with notes telling what to look out for. On her large wooden desk at the front of the class was a globe but it didn’t look like any globe Harry had seen before. “I hope to learn each and all of your names over the coming lessons but first things first....I would like you to sort yourselves into groups of four. I don’t care if you mix houses just so long as are four and you are all standing together, please.”</p><p>With a nervous look around the class, who had all stood up with confusion Harry pushed himself back up of his stool and immediately moved to Draco side. The blonde gripped his hand and threaded their fingers together with a smile before pulling him over to where Chao-Xing and her friend Alice were standing.</p><p>“Would you like to be in our group?”</p><p>“Aye, that would be awesome” Chao-Xing answered happily causing a few students to grumble and Harry was positive he heard something about snakes and Malfoy’s. After a great shuffle and lots of talking the class was separated into groups and Nino nodded happily.</p><p>“Awesome! Okay, you are Alpha group 1-A” She said pointing to a group of four Hufflepuff girls, “I want you to write that, and your names down on the top of this piece of paper...You are beta group 1-A... Same deal on this paper...” Nino moved through the groups listing their names and giving them a large piece of paper, which seemed to crackle with magic as Harry reached out to touch it when it was finally their turn. “Sigma group 1-A... I want you to take a look at your group mates and introduce yourselves to the three people who are going to help you pass this first year of my class. Even with all the magic in the world the best possible defence is good friends, good partners who will be able to help you...From now until the end of the school year these are three people you will sit with for each and every one of my classes. So now I will rearrange the classroom, if you would all just step to the edge of the room...”</p><p>Once everyone had done as instructed Nino waved her hand and silently cast a spell to send all the stools and tables around the room rearranging them until two tables were grouped together with seats for four. Above each table was the name of the group and without questioning it Harry and Draco made their way to the Sigma table. It was only when the whispers started that Harry realised how strange it must have looked for the others for Nino to not only wandlessly cast a spell but also wordlessly. They had grown immune to it during their lessons but Harry could see how excited it made other people including Chao-Xing and Alice as they joined them.</p><p>“Did you see that?!” The girls gasped brightly in unison “She can do wandless magic!”</p><p>“Yes. It is more common than not in Japan, she taught Harry and myself to cast spells wandlessly last year” Draco hummed with a shrug waving his own hand and making his books, quills, and ink float to the table. Harry smiled and copied, embarrassed when his ink very nearly dropped onto the table instead of floating gracefully down like Draco’s.</p><p>“Draco is better at it than I am.” He said with a flush aware that both girls didn’t appear to be breathing as they watched them with open mouths.</p><p>“Physically, you are better at the theory.” Draco gave him a friendly smile and then the entire class turned their attention to Nino who had cleared her throat holding up a hand to ask for silence.</p><p>“Yes, I fully intend to teach you all some basic wandless magic before the year is out. At the very least I want you all to be able to learn the summoning spell and the disarming spell. Both spells are important for defence, after all a wand can be easily knocked out of your hand in a fight.” Nino clapped her hands together silencing the bubble of excitement that had started throughout all the students as they learnt they would be learning wandless magic, even a basic form, and Harry could see that Nino had already won over the students even in the last fifteen minutes she had been teaching. “But for now, we will focus on the outline of your lessons. As I have already said, the groups you have formed today are to be your group for the coming year, within your group you can discuss the lesson, help each other with homework, and projects and I hope look out for each other. Your homework will always be group projects, but I ask that you work together as a group, each member has to pull their own weight, not a single member should do more or less than the other. For today’s lesson I want you all to ask and answer the questions on the sheet I have given you, they are all designed to help you get to know your group mates and will hopefully take you a step closer to becoming friends.” As she spoke the paper with their group name on it started to glow and spider like writing formed over the page in the form of a dozen or more questions.</p><p>It was mostly simple, getting to know you, stuff, name, birthday, favourite games and music and soon the class had started talking with the questions being asked around the little tables. Harry pulled the paper closer to himself and then asked the first question his eyes landed on.</p><p>“Do you have any pets?”</p><p>“I have an owl; his name is Penumbra...” Chao-Xing answered before looking to Alice who gave a nod</p><p>“My family has a cat, mum says I might be able to get an owl for Christmas but they are expensive. What about you?”</p><p>“I have an owl named Hedwig, and I’m fond of one of Uncle Luci’s albino Peacocks”</p><p>“Fond? You’ve practically stolen him Harry, he follows you as soon as he sees you in the garden.” Draco laughed and Harry grinned thinking about the Peacock he had taken to calling Francis. The bird was the youngest of the Malfoy peacocks and had taken a special interest in Harry loving nothing more than to sit with him having his neck stroked. “I have an owl, Ares, my family has a lot of animals though I wouldn’t call them pets really.”</p><p>“Okay, next question, what is your favourite food? Mine’s butterscotch and whiskey sauce drizzled over creamy ice cream!” Alice’s eyes were practically sparkling as she spoke about the ice cream and Harry had the strangest desire to eat it himself.</p><p>“Treacle tart with vanilla ice cream...” He said knowing that it was a boring choice when he had had lots of amazing food with the Malfoy’s but he would never forget the treacle tart he’d had one night when he was about 6 years old. It was the only time he had tried to run away from the Dursley’s, he hadn’t made it further than the street three across as he was afraid of crossing the road by himself. It had gotten late and he hadn’t been wearing shoes or a coat when a young couple with a baby, who had just come home from a church service had spotted him. They had been kind, the first people who ever had been, and the wife Margaret had invited him in and given him some freshly made treacle tart and ice cream. He hadn’t had it again until he had been with the Malfoy’s but the thought of the tart had kept him going some nights.</p><p>“Harry? Are you okay?”</p><p>“Y-yes, sorry...” Harry answered coming back to the present with a bump and flashing a little smile before focusing on the questions.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So...In canon it seems that all the teachers have different ideas on the structure of their lessons, there isn’t any rhyme or reason, so this is just Nino’s way. <br/>I apologise if there are more mistakes than normal &gt;.&lt; my laptop decided that it wasn’t going to work anymore &gt;.&lt; so this is all being written on my phone while I wait to see if it can be revived...So the editing isn’t the best &gt;.&lt;</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The buzz of happiness that had come from the defence against the dark arts faded pretty quickly as Ravenclaw and Slytherin were forced to spend an hour in the greenhouses with Professor Sprout. The dumpy jovial looking teacher was outright cold whenever she looked at him or Draco. Her brown eyes cutting into them as though she wanted to flay them on the spot. It didn’t help that she seemed to give Ron house points for just breathing and took away five points each when Draco and Harry were talking about the work they were doing. She even threatened them both with detention although they had simply answered her question. Ron had copied their answer and had gotten five points. Harry didn’t argue with her treatment of him, he was used to it from his old school, but it was harder to stop Draco from speaking out. He had to hold the blonde down more than once while shaking his head. Chao-Xiang and Alice made up the points lost but Harry couldn’t help but be thankful when they were allowed to leave the stuffy greenhouse. It was a shame since he had been looking forward to the lessons after helping Narcissa in her own garden and greenhouses.</p><p>“What was her problem?” Chao-Xiang growled as they made their way back to the castle for lunch, she and Alice had joined them as soon as possible and the girl looked as angry as Draco. “She seemed to be picking on you both.”</p><p>“Shame not everyone is blown over by your mere presence, Potter” A voice grumbled from behind their backs and Harry didn’t even have to turn around to know that it was Ron. The boy had been outcast from Slytherin house during lesson, even getting points for them had done little to stop the scowls he was getting but Ron didn’t seem to care. The Slytherin emblem on his robes had been picked at until it was frayed, how that had happened in only a night Harry couldn’t understand, and his tie looked scorched. “Guess even your name can’t make people like you Malfoy.”</p><p>“And yet I’m the one walking with my friends and you appear to be alone.” Draco hummed smoothly motioning to Alice and Chao-Xiang. Ron scowled his face turning red, as he opened his mouth to speak however, he was cut off by Seamus and Pansy coming towards them followed by another Gryffindor Harry vaguely recognised from last night. “Irish, Pants, good to see you.”</p><p>“And you Dray, how has your morning been?” Pansy asked slotting herself in between Harry and Draco and threading their arms together. The group of 7 completely ignored Ron, even when he made some nasty comments at their retreating backs. Harry felt the warmth of Pansy settled against him. Seamus introduced him to their new friend Dean Thomas, a Muggleborn, who smiled and nodded at them without any judgement. It was nice and he could easily forget about the horrible feeling he’d had since herbology.</p><p>“It’s been interesting, Defence was good, you have that tomorrow, don’t you?”</p><p>“Yes, with Slytherin. We have potions with them as well. Do you have any homework?”</p><p>“Nino gave us some, but nothing else yet.” Harry answered genuinely looking forward to the homework Nino had set. She had given all the groups different dark creatures to study. Sigma had been given Kelpies and Harry was looking forward to studying them.</p><p>“Wait till this afternoon, you have transfiguration, right? McGonagall was brutal, we have to write two full pages on the basics.” Seamus moaned loudly from where he had been talking to Chao-Xiang and Alice. During their conversation they had made their way into the great hall and, unlike yesterday when it had been sedate and almost formal, today was a hum of noise and activity. “Think anyone will care if we sit together?”</p><p>“Shouldn’t think so.” Draco answered with a shrug pointing to the Hufflepuff table where a few Gryffindor ties could be seen along with some Slytherin. From here he could see that Ron was sitting on the edge of the Gryffindor bench next to the bushy haired Hermione Granger who appeared to be talking to him at a rapid pace while everyone else at the table appeared to be ignoring them both.</p><p>“We’re friends regardless of House.” Harry added with a small at the Irish boy and they seemed to be proven right when they sat at the far end of the Ravenclaw table, and nobody even battered an eyelid. It was a happy lunch with the four old friends happily chatting with their three new ones and it was made even brighter when the twins and Lee Jordon came over to them.</p><p>“Have you heard from your mother? Nino and Dad said she wasn’t happy about Ronald.”</p><p>“That is an understatement. She was threatening to pull us all out. Not that dad would let her, he can’t afford to send us anywhere else, but she threw the worst sort of tantrum. Think Percy wanted the floor to open up and swallow him.” The twins said together both laughing at the memory of their mother’s angry face, a face which had only gotten angrier when the Sinistra had told her that there was no possible way that Ron could change schools since the hat had made its choice. “Still can’t believe that ickleronniekins is a snake and our Pans is a Gryffindor.”</p><p>“Well, I suppose the hat thought Gryffindor could use somebody with class, and who else would keep Irish out of trouble?” Pansy asked with a lifted eyebrow looking at the Irish boy who grinned wide.</p><p>“Well yer all class, Pants.”</p><p>“I deserve an award. Did you know that Granger didn’t shut up? It was two before she finally stopped talking last night. She kept warbling about Dumbledore and how it wasn’t fair that he was no longer headmaster.” Pansy speared a tomato with a fork with such anger that Harry could only imagine she was thinking about Hermione or perhaps Dumbledore. The mention of the old man made Harry’s insides squirm a little and he was thankful when the topic changed to the break in at Gringotts. The twins were convinced that it was Dobby, who still hadn’t been found after escaping the hospital, and Harry listened with only half an ear looking up at the top table where his dad was talking to Quirrell in a low voice. His expression was unreadable from here and probably even if he was closer but when the man looked up and saw him staring, he gave him a smile. Harry was immediately surprised when pain flashed through his forehead. It was short but sharp causing him to gasp out loudly and almost double over at the force of it.</p><p>“Ow” He moaned rubbing his scar and causing Draco to look at him with worry his pale eyebrows lifted.</p><p>“Are you okay? What’s wrong?”</p><p>“Just…My head hurt, just for a moment. It’s gone now…” Harry answered managing to smile though he was sure it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Stop looking at me like that, honest, I’m fine…The bell is about to ring, finish your lunch…” Sure enough Harry had barely gotten the words out before the bell sounded informing them that it was time to head to Charms.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A short chapter cause I’m still working on my phone &gt;.&lt; My laptop is due to be fixed soon &gt;.&lt; I hope it wasn’t too bad…</p><p>Can the person who keeps leaving me nasty messages please kindly take a hop, skip and a jump out of my comment section? I know you’re a troll with copy and paste but yeah please go away and read something you do like? Thank you 😊</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Phew…A playful chapter to start this second part. I promise that classmate won’t be as long as penpal that kinda got out of hand…&gt;.&lt; but I hope you will enjoy this Classmate!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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